Storm After the Storm
by RockerChick08
Summary: Takes place after the "demise" of the Originals! The battle is over and finished, but where does that leave recent comrads Bonnie and Stefan? Better than it sounds! Take a leap of faith! Read and Review! ;D


**Author's Note: Just REALLY wanted to write a Stefonnie! LOVE them! So I whipped this up! PLEASE don't hate it! Thanks for taking out the time to read! Oh GOSH, if ONLY they happened on the show! Can you say EPIC? Enjoy! ;D **

**Storm After the Storm**

_**Chapter One**_

The sun beats down on the earth, like a center stage spotter of a Broadway production, shining strong and bright. It's a beautiful day. The sky is blue and clear, the air is clean, a gentle breeze is soothing the warm atmosphere, and birds are singing. Everything is perfect.

"Stefan!"

An irremovable grin overtakes the vampire's features, as his sightseeing comes to an abrupt halt at the sound of his squealing girlfriend. He looks up just in time to catch her when she throws herself into his arms.

She's soaking wet, and he was previously as dry as chapped lips, but he doesn't care. He instantly wraps his arms around her lithe waist and grips her tightly, holding her vise-like to him. No matter how much time has has with her, it will never seem like enough...

He sighs as he bends to take in her vanilla scent, before chastely rubbing his lips against her neck, and gently squeezing her sides. He wishes they could stay just like this. Forever. But she's breaking away from him all too soon.

The amazing smile she fixes him with upon doing so however, manages to lighten his disappointment somewhat, as she grabs onto his hand and tugs gently.

"Come on in. The water's fine."

She winks adorably, and the vampire can't help but laugh heartily, before kissing the woman passionately on the lips and allowing himself to be pulled through the warm sand, toward the blue ocean of the Virginia beach.

It seems almost too good to be true. The Originals are actually gone...well Kol, Finn, and Mommy Original, that is - which really makes Esther's plan nothing but a plan Michael repeat. All talk and no results - But that's okay, because Klaus is playing nice for Caroline, Rebecca is all over Matt, and Elijah...well he hadn't been so bad to begin with.

The Original "plot line" was taken care of. But even more important than that...Elena is his.

"Wha? Oh no you didn't." Stefan suddenly shakes his head in disbelief as the brunette licks her tongue out and grins teasingly at him.

"You did NOT just splash me!" the vampire exclaims incredulously, before abruptly tackling the woman into the knee length water.

She'd finally chosen him over Damon. She's all his.

Stefan lands on top of Elena and stills, staring deeply into her dark brown orbs, as she emphatically focuses on his gray. She slowly moves a slender hand up into his wet hair, and he moves one of his own up to caress down her cheek.

Everything is over. Everything is perfect now.

…

…

As they walk hand in hand away from the beach, and toward the red Porsche in the parking lot, Stefan and Elena pass a small creek.

It's full of lily pads and...lotus flowers.

They instantly remind him of someone who, strangely, he can't seem to configure at the moment. But still, without much thought, he finds himself abandoning his girlfriend's grasp to retrieve one of the beautiful white wonders.

He pockets it wordlessly, before returning to his beautiful doppleganger and kissing her cheek.

…

…

Stefan is king of the school the next day, when he and Elena pull into the student parking lot.

Everyone's so happy to see him and Elena back together, but even more so, just happy to see him back at Robert E. Lee. The guys chest bump and fist pound him, while the girls swoon around him, as he lounges on his car with a possessive arm about his girlfriend and a saucy grin on his face.

"You're enjoying this way too much." the brunette flashes a side way smile knowingly at him, before shaking her head incredulously when he laughs and nods his head.

"Maybe...but so what? Everyone deserves to bask in glory every once in a while." he kisses her temple, and she rolls her eyes, as he meets yet another set of clenched knuckles.

"Welcome back, Stefan!" the shaggy red haired soccer player offers enthusiastically, as the football star nods in appreciation, before looking over to the left as a familiar voice catches his ear.

"Stefan!"

The gray eyed vampire looks up to see a grinning Caroline making her way over to him with a broody Tyler in tow.

"You came back to school - I'm sure you've pretty much flunked out of EVERYTHING – but it's great to have you back!" she flings herself into his arms, and things feel like normal. Or at least normal for _**him**_...

Stefan sighs and fights the urge to shake his head as he catches the sight of Klaus' black BMW pulling out of the parking lot, over the cheerleader's shoulder.

That definitely wasn't normal...

The vampire breaks away from the hug, momentarily darting his eyes over to the murderous looking wolf glaring daggers into the road now devoid of the dark vehicle.

Life sucks sometimes...Stefan knew all too well about this.

"Stefan Salvatore? No way!" the gray eyed supernatural is suddenly wrenched from his thoughts, at the sound of another familiar voice.

A grinning Matt Donovan slowly makes his way over to the group, hand in hand with one Rebekah Michaelson.

"Great to have you back, man." the blonde male smiles solemnly before surprising the youngest Salvatore with an impromptu man hug.

"Great to be back." the vampire can't help but smile, as he shakes his head slightly, before nodding to Rebekah in greeting.

The group chats about their first drama-free, death-free, stress-free weekend, and all is right with the world. Elena gushes about the beach, Matt and Rebekah splurge on a camping trip in the mountains, and Tyler mutters something about finishing his hard work to break the sire bond. Caroline is promptly quiet.

"Admit it, Beckah, you LIKED camping! You know you did..." the football captain's blue eyes sparkle brightly as he smirks playfully at his girlfriend, who shuts him up with a kiss.

Caroline watches uncomfortably, Elena smiles adoringly, Tyler frowns confusedly, and Stefan doesn't pay much attention at all, as he finds himself absentmindedly scanning the parking lot.

"I liked it when nighttime came...and you snuggled SO close, and wrapped your arms SO tightly around me to keep me warm." the Original smiles before all out grinning when Matt repeats her actions from earlier, quieting her with a kiss.

No one seems to notice when the gray Prius pulls into the lot. No one except Stefan that is, as he surveys the parking area. He meets the driver's gaze through the glass of her windshield, and smiles politely. She looks away.

He frowns off put, but shrugs it off before returning his attention to the impending conversation and offering his thoughts on the new Avengers movie.

It takes far too long for her to exit her car, but finally Bonnie Bennett steps out of the vehicle and into the sunlight, diamond studs sparkling, and ponytail swaying in the breeze. _About time._

She heads off in the opposite direction of them.

"Bonnie!" Caroline seems to finally notice the witch's presence as she suddenly shouts mid-sentence out to the rushing woman, who turns around and winces, before shouting something about being late.

"Late for what? We've got a whole EIGHT MINUTES till school starts!" the blonde vampire yells incredulously to her, before darting after her.

Elena follows, so do Matt and Rebekah. Tyler shrugs along as well. Stefan rolls his eyes and stays behind, fighting off the annoyance that suddenly overtakes him.

…

**... **

Her mom is gone.

At least Stefan gathers as much as he listens to the gangs rushed conversation, before the group decides to migrate into the school to coddle her indoors.

Abby's gone.

Great. She's all alone again...

…

**...**

"Do you have to be such an anti-social, suffer in silence, melancholy depressant?" he corners the teen witch in an empty corrider after their 2nd block PE class. No longer able to keep his agitation silent, as she scoffs and shakes her head at him.

"Wow Stefan, that's a greeting if I ever heard one." she moves to go around him, but he grabs onto her wrist roughly.

"Don't talk to me about greetings when everyone in the entire school BUT you greeted me this morning."

"Well SOR-RY." the female supernatural rattles off, before pulling at her wrist and frowning. "Hello Stefan. Now will you let me go already, psycho." she deadpans, as he releases her, with a slight shove at that.

"What the hell is your problem, vampire?"

"What the hell is yours, witch?"

Green eyes glare murderously into the youngest Salvatore, and he glares back, not in the least deterred, as Bonnie suddenly scoffs, before sneering furiously at him.

"You don't wanna mess with me today, Stefan" she mutters darkly, before resolutely turning on her heels and moving away from warning, an indescribable rage erupts within him at the movement.

"Yeah, run away, Bonnie. That's what your good at."

The witch immediately swivels around, to face the vampire with intensely narrowed eyes.

"That's what you did with your mom, isn't it?" he presses heartlessly as he slowly advances on her. "Abby wanted to stay. She wanted a relationship with you, but you pushed her away." he quietly stabs at Bonnie with eyes so cold and dark, as he grabs onto her arm and shakes her violently.

"_**Don't slump around school like a dark, bottomless pit when YOU'RE the one to blame for your sorrows!**_"

He's instantly sent flying and savagely CRASHING into the wall behind him.

"So much for Ripper Stefan being gone...Stay the fuck away from me asshole." the witch gives him a strong aneurysm to prove her threat, before storming away from him.

…

…

Third block goes off without a hitch. Stefan flirts shamelessly with Elena to keep his eyes from wandering over to Bonnie.

Things are different between them.

He can no longer deny it. Their time spent together working to open the coffins, then working to save Elena, and finally working to kill the Originals...it's changed things between them. The dynamic is different...off somehow.

Perhaps he should just 'stay the fuck away from her...'

His contemplations come to an abrupt halt when he spots her after school, leaning against her car, and staring up at the sky.

He takes her in momentarily, noticing that her eyes glance down at the phone in her hand ever so often, reminding him that she is meeting Caroline for shopping. She could probably use it. She looks bad...but good at the same time...

The white tank top hugging her chest definitely looks good, Stefan cannot deny. So do the form-fitting jeans around her hips...the bags around her eyes? Not so much.

The vampire finds himself absentmindedly placing his hands into his pockets, where his right meets lint, but his left meets something else...something soft. And that's when he realizes.

It's her.

Bonnie. That's who the lotus makes him think of.

His feet seem to move of their own volition suddenly, carrying him until he's standing before her, just as she looks up to address him. He wordlessly shoves the flower into her free hand and closes her fingers around the softness, before smiling solemnly at her.

Eyes look murderous.

Then soft.

Then confused, as she stares down at the semi-flattened object within her hand.

"It's a lotus blossom."

Stefan answers the unasked question, before settling against the vehicle beside the witch, looking up at the clear sky.

Pause.

A long pause of pregnant and painful silence, before her green eyes slowly dart over to him.

"Where did you get it from?"

"From the beach yesterday."

Stefan sighs heavily at the sudden sound of her voice, soft and curious. He turns to stare at her head on and thrust his trademark half smile upon her.

"It's beautiful." she mumbles without sparing him a glance.

"It's like you in that way."

Her bright orbs burn into him, before narrowing intensely.

"So I take it you're done being a jerk?"

"Yeah...Sorry about that."

Green eyes silently move back down to the white flower, while gray move over the holder of the blossom.

Before either realizes, they're in each other's faces and invading personal space.

"Why?" the witch fixes the vampire with confused eyes.

He shrugs carelessly and moves to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"It reminds me of you."

"How so?"

It's a challenge, emitted with pursed lips and a perfectly arched eyebrow to boot.

Stefan finds himself advancing yet even closer, strangely enough Bonnie doesn't move.

"The lotus flower can blossom even in the muddiest of waters...it's strong." he whispers quietly, before winking over to her.

The fingers of his right hand slowly move up, of their own volition, to hover over her cheek.

He finds himself needing to touch her.

"It exists...just to...make the world a little brighter."

The vampire finally gives into his desire, caressing the backs of his fingers down her left cheek.

She closes her eyes, and he swallows, heart aching within his chest. What's wrong with him. Why isn't this enough? Why does he feel like he needs more.

Her arms are wrapped around him the next instant, and he's holding onto her as if something threatens to tear them apart.

The pain disappears, as she moves her head back slightly, to fix the vampire with watery eyes.

"I love it, Stefan! Thanks."

"Your Welcome, Bonnie." he kisses her hair and closes his eyes. "Your Welcome."

**Chapter End**

**Author's Note: I know your probably thinking up a lot of questions now, but hold on! Review for the story, alert, and favorite it, and HOLD ON! ;D All we'll be answered soon! I'll be updating for Bamon soon, so look out for that! Giving credit where credit is due: I got the Lotus flower idea from the Korean drama "Boys Before/Over Flowers! If you haven't watched it yet, WATCH it! BEST show EVER! Thanks for reading, and PLEASE review so I know this doesn't COMPLETELY suck! God bless**


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